I-25 Express Lanes Near Fort Collins Begin Tolling April 7, Weaving Fines Pending

A round trip from Sterling to Fort Collins on I-25's new express lane will cost between $6 and $24.40 in tolls starting Tuesday, April 7, depending on the time of day, when CDOT activates the 14-mile Berthoud-to-Fort Collins express corridor. A weaving-violation warning period launched March 31, with civil penalties of $75 set to replace those written notices around early May.

CDOT priced the corridor at $1 to $4.75 per segment for ExpressToll account holders, with three segments spanning Colorado 56 near Berthoud to Prospect Road in Fort Collins. A full run through all three segments costs a minimum of $3 during overnight hours (11 p.m. to 6 a.m.) and reaches $12.20 northbound at the peak evening rate from 6 to 7 p.m. Drivers without an ExpressToll account pay higher rates, invoiced by mail after automated license-plate readers log the trip.

The parallel general-purpose lanes carry no toll and require no enrollment. Logan County residents and commercial haulers running freight between the northeastern plains and Front Range distribution points face a practical calculation: whether the time savings in the express corridor offset the per-segment cost posted in real time on overhead dynamic-message signs. The price displayed when entering the lane is what ExpressToll account holders are charged.

Weaving, defined as crossing the double-white solid lines at undesignated points to enter or exit the express lane, is now logged by overhead cameras at every gantry along the corridor. During the current warning window, CDOT mails written notices to the vehicle's registered address with no financial penalty attached. Fines go live approximately 30 days after the warning period opened March 31, putting enforcement around early May. At that point, a single crossing triggers a $75 civil penalty billed to the registered owner, which doubles to $150 if unpaid within 20 days.

Vehicles with three or more occupants travel the express lane free with a switchable HOV transponder set to HOV mode and three confirmed occupants. Motorcyclists use the lane at no cost without any pass, and bus and transit services are exempt from tolling.

The toll applies regardless of vehicle size or cargo to agricultural haulers and commercial drivers working I-25 routes, unless the vehicle qualifies for HOV status. The free general-purpose lanes remain the no-cost alternative, though during peak congestion on a stretch serving one of Colorado's fastest-growing regions, the express lane's time advantage can be substantial. CDOT reported that the same automated camera enforcement system already deployed on other Colorado express corridors reduced weaving violations by more than 94 percent in those locations, a figure the department cites as evidence of improved safety and reduced crash exposure from illegal lane changes.